Category Archives: Cornwall Council

Have you had a stroke and would like to speak to someone who understands? Volunteer Cornwall’s Stroke Befriending Service could be just the thing you’re looking for.

One of our friendly Stroke Befriending volunteers can meet with you on a regular basis and offer support and encouragement. We have found this can really help to build confidence and make people feel less isolated and more connected to their community.

This is a completely free service and volunteers can visit people at home, in hospital or in a care home. Stroke Befriending is also available via telephone, email and video call.

Or if you have had a stroke and would like to help someone else in their recovery journey, why not get in touch and find out more about becoming a Stroke Befriending volunteer?

It was great pleasure to present Andrew and Sara Doney a civic award for community work and continuing volunteer work, involving church matters, scouts, horticultural show etc a true asset to the community, followed by tea.

Community money is now open for requests. I could spend this money several times over, available on first come first served basis.

Overgrown hedges have been reported and highways have been to the area to look at particular problems. I shall be going around to look at specific areas of concern, including potholes with highways. There is an online reporting system now within Cornwall Website. You can report on line here or let your parish councillors know.

The new parking charges, some good, some bad, have been introduced. I would like to see parking cheaper or free and follow Devon’s example £2 all day in Tavistock and Lyme Regis, admittedly some towns including Callington have the first hour free but the cheaper the parking the longer people will stay. A recent visit to Poole just shows how the hustle and bustle of high street is far from dead despite £1.20 per hour. Cranleigh in Sussex Sunday’s free parking, and a very interesting public enquiry into housing in the town, no one wanted but was over ruled by the inspectorate. Continue reading →

How time fly’s one month on and several meetings and training sessions to include miscellaneous licensing, Licensing Act… Code of Conduct….Scrutiny…. Induction….Full Council…..and 2 day planning ….

As a licensing Act member I have found myself in the forefront of licensing issues and hearings making up a team of 3 to consider issuing licenses of premises. I have also been selected for planning central and the new rules mean we can’t vote on planning in our area… we can support planning applications and speak at the meetings; but if it’s in your own division you can’t vote.

Planning training opened my eyes to the fact Cornwall Council have selected sites to build 52,500 houses of which 38,000 are already earmarked.

Which I raised the question who are these house for??? As I have not seen many earmarked for local need and when I challenge Cornwall council where are the jobs to support these houses; along with hospitals and schools. The reply was 60% were for people moving into Cornwall retired so would not need jobs. So it looks like Cornwall is going to become a retirement hub?????

The new leader Adam Paynter is against this housing too so let’s hope it’s not too late. I do struggle with the concept of building so many houses which are in open countryside i.e., Launceston, Liskeard, Newquay, yet hardly any are eco friendly, carbon neutral, and once built costs not only drain the worlds resources but encourage fuel poverty.

So when is open countryside not open countryside ????

It’s been busy in the division with highway issues, pot holes, speeding , rubbish, signs no one wants to see, several planning applications and the on-going appeal 46 houses St. Ive road.

If anyone has a 1/2 bed bungalow would like to swap with an elderly couple who can cope with two sets of steps I would be delighted to hear from you … must be in Pensilva …Home-choice seem to be hopeless!!!!!

Looking forward to meeting more people in the coming weeks and remember the Millennium centre is yours and now is the time to get involved!!

The absolute deadline for submission of nomination papers is the 4th April.

A Councillor… Who Me?

Could you be one of the Parish Councillors who will be elected in May to take a lead in serving the South Hill community?

To be a Local Councillor you must be at least 18 and a British, Commonwealth or European Citizen. You also need to be a local elector or have lived, worked or owned a property in the parish for at least a year.

Well this is my last newsletter as your Cornwall Councillor for this administration. By the time the next edition comes out, we will be into the campaign period for the May election and it will be inappropriate for me to be using your parish magazine for communicating with you. I therefore want to thank you for your support over the last four years. It has been an honour and a privilege to be your representative. It has been a difficult period because of the huge savings that had to be made in the council’s budget but I hope I have made a small contribution to minimising the impact.

I am proud of my local community and wish the very best to whoever you choose to represent you for the next four years. Despite the above, I remain your councillor until the election on May 4th so, if you have any problems relating to council services, please don’t hesitate to give me a call. (01579 362037) Continue reading →

CONSULTATION PERIOD – 6 weeks – ENDING 16th SEPTEMBER 2016

In December 2014 Parish Councillor Geoff Clemerson researched the idea of a Neighbourhood Plan. If you were living in the Parish or owned property here at that time, you would have had the opportunity to complete a survey. Sections covered were:

Housing and Building (11 questions)

The Environment We Live In (17 questions)

Renewable Energy (10 questions)

The Local Economy (8 questions)

About your Household (6 questions)

Comments were encouraged. The return rate was 81.2%, which is an excellent response. The results are published on the South Hill Connection web site – Hard copies will be made available.

A Draft Neighbourhood Development Plan has been produced, which has just been completed and approved by the Parish Council. There is a 6-week consultation period when YOU can comment to ensure the Plan reflects all the wishes of the Parish.

If you know someone who does not have access to the internet, and would like to see a copy of the NDP, please contact one of the parish councillors listed below. There will also be laminated copies in the box outside the Parish Hall, and in St Sampson’s church porch, but please do not take these away.

South Hill and Bray Shop: Geoff Clemerson 01579 362623

Golberdon and Mornick: David Skelton 01579 382397

Nick Easton 07 715606252

Trevigro and surrounding area: James Gale 07974 786066

Andrew Budd 01579 389328

Maders and Manaton area: Dan Smith 07 787536555

Please remember that comments can only be accepted if made in writing or by email as described above.

Comments are invited from anyone that has a connection to the Parish and should be sent to the Parish Clerk– by email (parish.clerk@south-hill.co.uk), or by letter to Jenny Hoskin, Branston Farm, Bodmin Road, BODMIN PL30 4BB. Please do not try to telephone Mrs Hoskin; she is not a full time employee of the council, and will not be able to answer any queries or take comments on the phone.

Amendments can be made to The Plan before it is sent to Cornwall Council. An Independent Examiner will be appointed who will take account of comments made and all relevant documentation, and if it meets all requirements will recommend The Plan proceeds to a referendum. This process is documented on various web sites.

More details will be published as South Hill Connection receives them.

It is important that your views are represented within this 6 weeks consultation period.

There is much to fit in this month. Let’s start with more good news. CC Children’s services had a good Ofsted report. Quote – The final report confirms that we have received an overall rating of ‘Good’ for these services – putting us in the top 25% of children’s services in the country that have been inspected under the tougher new inspection framework. Well done to all concerned.

There is a campaign underway to try and persuade people to look after the sewerage systems by not flushing wet wipes. If you do, please don’t.

Blue badge holders – Those eligible for free car tax can register (for a £10 fee) to have a card that permits free parking. The system had to change when government did away with tax discs being displayed but Cornwall Council was keen to find a mechanism to continue helping those with blue badges but you do need to reapply.

I know some people are still upset about the referendum result and concerned that we will lose all the funding. Please bear in mind that we are still in the EU and Article 50 hasn’t yet been triggered. It will be at least two years after that when we actually leave, which takes us up to mid-2018. Since the programme finishes anyway in 2020 and any contracts in place before we leave will be honoured under international law, it is very unlikely to have any impact on our economic development funding. Continue reading →

New players, All ages and ability welcome. Instruments are available on free loan and less experienced players who want to brush up their skills with the Training Band. Join a happy group that plays at[...]

A fun Circuits Class which is based on a full body approach…there will be several different stations which you’ll work round! Includes cardio exercises as well as toning exercises! mobile number 07875507758